IT took one dance for Altona residents Jean and Leonard Forbes to know they would spend the rest of their lives together in a relationship that has now spanned more than six decades.
Last week, the couple celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary and have had a joyous life spent in love.
“I asked her for a dance and we’re still dancing,” Mr Forbes said.
A country girl at heart, Jean met Leonard in traditional style at a Freemasons’ dance held at the Masonic Hall in Collins St those 65 years ago, but Mr Forbes remembers like it was yesterday.
*** “I came up behind her and I saw this lovely red hair, I thought that’s nice I’ll have a dance with this girl.”
For Mrs Forbes the feeling was mutual.
“I thought he was pretty good,” she said.
The girl from the bush and the young man with his motorbike were married on 7 February 1948.
They settled in Altona after moving from Prahran where Mrs Forbes ran a delicatessen and Mr Forbes worked as an engineering designer at a power station in Newport.
The couple, now both in their late 80s, have two daughters, Judith and Jen and enjoy visiting their two grandsons Ben and Joel.
Their eldest daughter Judith said over the years she had seen her parents grow together like two peas in a pod.
“When they walk down the street, the two of them arm-in-arm rock together,” Ms Kirkman said.
“All their life together has been rocking along and joking and laughing. That’s been an important part of their relationship; they are still joking and teasing.”
Mr Forbes’ advice to a long-lasting relationship is quite simple and something he tries and tests nearly every day.
“Just be honest with one another, love one another and tell them that you love them,” he said.
“We still love each other. We’ve never had a cross word, never ever. We’re great mates.”
